Dementia Action Week.
As part of Dementia Action week, we are publishing a blog where Christine Brown Wilson talks about the partnership a between QUB, the HSC Trusts and Dementia NI on the INTIMATE project: (INTIMacy And relaTionships in dEmentia)
The experience of receiving diagnosis of dementia often leaves people with dementia and those close to them confused and frightened about what happens next. People living with dementia told us that following diagnosis they weren’t able to keep their jobs or they were asked to choose care homes when all they wanted was to be seen for the things they were still able to do. People living with dementia want to be seen as capable.
Intimacy is an important part of human connection and this is no different for people living with dementia. One person living with dementia told us clearly she was still capable of finding love!! However, when being supported by staff in services, people living with dementia who engage in intimate or sexual relationships cause staff consternation, distress or discomfort. Although there is guidance available, our previous work has suggested that the guidance this might not always be available or relevant to the situation being experienced. This led to the INTIMATE project, a partnership between the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queens University, the five Health and Social Care Trusts in NI and Dementia NI.
The INTIMATE project is co-designing a digital resource that enables staff to support people living with dementia to engage in intimate and sexual relationships. The first part of the project was an audit on policy, practice and training across Northern Ireland. We found that some community and residential environments promoted privacy and provided some training. However, generally, there were limited policies or training to enable staff to support people living dementia in intimate or sexual relationships. Using the Operational Guidance:Relationships, Sexuality and Dementia, staff across services, people living with dementia and nursing students are now co-designing a digital resource to address this gap. The staff and students are able to provide examples of what happens in practice and what is needed to support them whilst people with dementia bring their perspectives and lived experience. The co-design process will ensure the digital resource addresses both the needs of staff and people living with dementia.
For more information or to get involved contact Prof. Christine Brown Wilson: c.brownwilson@qub.ac.uk